Despite all the gloom and the anti strip club propaganda complete with inaccurate statistics and invented anecdotes there are still signs that good sense and the truth are starting to break through.
Here are a few examples all taken from recent newspapers,1} Seventh Heaven Glasgow
“The city’s licensing board raised a number of objections against the venue last year and decided to turn down the club’s application.
The objections included concern about the club’s flyers which featured an “unsuitably clothed” dancer wearing yellow pants using her arm to cover her breasts.
But Sheriff Taylor dismissed the board’s concerns claiming that he could “see nothing wrong in the degree of breast exposed.”
Absurd
He added: “To judge that the flyer in question is unsuitable for the purpose of promoting a lap-dancing nightclub and thus in breach of the policy code, is, in my opinion, wholly unreasonable.
“In short the licensing board’s judgement is absurd. No reasonable licensing board properly applying their mind to the flyer could come to the view that the female depicted was unsuitably clothed.”
Sheriff Taylor’s decision is likely to alarm opponents of lap-dancing venues who fear that the practice exploits vulnerable young women.
Ban
Last month it was revealed that plans which would have allowed Scottish councils to ban lap-dancing clubs had been put on hold following concerns that the proposals could catch theatre productions “
The Christian Institute 7th June 2010
2} Spearmint Rhino Tottenham Court Road
“Feminists, look away now. A development above Spearmint Rhino, a lap-dancing club on Tottenham Court Road, in central London, is a highly popular place for single women to buy their homes — and we’re not talking about those who want to live a stair climb away from work.
The reason? Security. The flats have a separate entrance from the club, but it’s on the same street, which means burly bouncers outside until 4am every morning. Ben Everest, a partner at LDG, a West End estate agency, has sold flats in the building above the club to half a dozen single women over the years; he recalls sitting down with one client, a student in her twenties, and her father, who had bought the flat for her, to discuss the club, two storeys below. They both enthused about how secure the doormen make her feel when walking home at night. “Female purchasers seek safe locations in good, solid buildings and are more conscious of safety than men,” he says.”
Sunday Times 13th June 2010
3 } Thurst Lounge Oxford
“A CHURCH has been left with a £12,000 legal bill after a judge dismissed its appeal to stop lap-dancing at a city-centre venue.
Rev Vaughan Roberts, the rector of St Ebbe’s Church, took Thirst Lodge to a three-day trial at Oxford Magistrates’ Court after it changed from a nightclub to a lap-dancing venue in October.
The change of use at the Pennyfarthing Place site had been approved by the city council’s licensing committee, but the church lodged an appeal.
Yesterday Deputy District Judge Gary Lucie threw out the appeal after finding there was no public nuisance, the church’s activities rarely overlapped with Thirst Lodge’s opening hours and crime and disorder had actually fallen since the club’s change of use.
He said the moral argument surrounding lap-dancing venues could not be explored under current legislation and the matter was simply a licensing one.
Following the verdict, Craig Baylis, representing Thirst Lodge’s Rob Opher, asked for £25,000 costs despite his “£500-an-hour” charges exceeding that amount.
He said: “This was an appeal that should never have been brought.
“It was entirely inappropriate given the lack of evidence to impugn the decision of the licensing committee and pursue a trial in this way.
“Why should Mr Opher be out of pocket to £30,000? He has been dragged to the magistrates’ court without any substantial evidence against the premises.”
Deputy District Judge Lucie agreed to order payment of £12,000 costs, partly because there “was a paucity of evidence in relation to crime and disorder”.
Speaking outside court, Rev Roberts said: “We will be telling the members of the sum and we’ve had indication that there’s a fair number who support us and would want to help us out.”
Asked whether he regretted taking legal action he said: “Not at all. We regret the giving of the licence in the first place.
“We felt absolutely that we had grounds for appeal and that for the sake of the church and the city of Oxford it was right to bring it.” “
Oxford Mail July 1st 2010
4} Lap dancing in Scotland
A PROPOSED crackdown on lap dancing venues has been thrown out by MSPs despite winning the support of the government.
SNP backbencher Sandra White wanted to give local authorities the power to introduce a special licensing system which would allow them to ban strip clubs.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill gave his backing to the move, but Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Tories opposed it and the proposal was defeated by 76-45.The decision was welcomed today by campaigners against the crackdown.
But Labour said it now plans to take its own look at the issue and bring forward proposals if the party returns to power at next year’s elections.Ms White told MSPs she wanted to allow local people to control what takes place in their communities. She said: “This is an activity, I’m sure most people would agree, that deserves more scrutiny and control.”She said she had visited lap dancing clubs to investigate the issue. “What I’ve seen made me feel that women are being objectified,” she added.
Liberal Democrat Robert Brown said Ms White’s proposal would introduce a dual licensing system, where venues needed a separate licence in addition to their liquor licence. He said there was no real evidence of a problem with the current powers.
Tory John Lamont said he had met a politics student who worked as a lap dancer in order to help her pay for university. He said: “She was, quite frankly, insulted by the claims that lap dancers were either prostitutes being exploited or their work was demeaning.”
Labour’s James Kelly said Ms White’s amendment stemmed from “frustration” at the lack of action from the SNP government on the issue. Mr Kelly added: “Labour gives a commitment that we will work on a detailed scheme which we will bring forward when we return to government.”
Sarah Vernon, a former dancer who has just completed a PhD in striptease and strip club culture in Scotland, welcomed Ms White’s defeat. Ms Vernon, who spent seven years carrying out field work as a “participant-observer” in two Edinburgh clubs as part of her research, had warned curbs on adult entertainment would hit Scottish tourism. Today she said: “The parliament has made the right decision, particularly at this time for Scotland’s economy. It shows Scotland is a tolerant and progressive country and does take account of the views of the nation and not just special interests.
“If Labour is going to work on its own detailed proposals they should actively seek participation from the industry itself and academics who have worked in the industry.”
Edinburgh Evening News July 1st 2010
Author: Saxon
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